"There was the possibility that Pagan would be able to convince you that she didn't have anything to do with your brother's death. Yes, it was too much of a risk to take."

"And so you sent Jade to me," Caine interjected.

Nathan shook his head. "We didn't send her. It was her plan from start to finish and we were informed after she'd left. We weren't given a say in the matter."

"How are we going to get the hounds away from you?"

Colin asked. "You can't help us find the culprits as long as you're being hunted." He let out a long sigh, then muttered, "Hell, it's such a mess. How in God's name are we going to find the bastards? We have absolutely nothing to go on."

"You're wrong, Colin," Caine said. "We have quite a bit of information to start with. We know that Hammond, the Tribunal's director, was a legitimate department head. The three men he recruited were Ice, Fox, and Prince. Now only one or two are still living, correct? And one or both are Willburn's directors. Willburn, by the way, has to be leading a duel life. He must be working for our government

as well as for the Tribunal."

"How do you figure that?" Nathan asked.

"When we received word of your deaths, my father and I were sent files filed with minor though heroic deeds you two had allegedly fulfilled for England. Willburn was protecting his backside, Colin, and neither file had any substantial information that could be checked out. Security was given as the reason, of course. By the way, you both were given medals for valor."

"Why did they bother?" Colin asked.

"To appease," Caine answered. "Our father's a duke, Colin. Willburn couldn't just let you disappear.

Too many questions would be asked."

"What about Nathan?" Colin asked. "Why did they bother honoring him after his death? His father was already dead and there weren't any other Wakerfields with a title. Did they want Jade to be appeased?"

Caine shook his head. "You're forgetting Nathan's other numerous titles," Caine said. "He's also the Marquess of St. James, remember? The Tribunal must have considered all the ramifications if they

made that barbaric faction suspicious."

"I did forget about the St. James men," Colin announced. He turned to grin at Nathan. "You don't talk much about that side of your family, Nathan."

"Would you?" Nathan replied dryly.

Colin laughed. "This isn't the time for levity," Jade muttered. "Besides, I'm certain all those stories about the St. James men are pure exaggeration. Why, underneath all that grufFness, they're really very kind men. Aren't they, Nathan?"

Now it was Nathan's turn to laugh. "In a pig's eye," he drawled out.

Jade gave him a good frown for being so honest. Then she turned her attention back to Caine. "Did you go to the ceremony honoring Colin and Nathan?" she asked. "Was it lovely? Were there flowers? Was it

a sizable group…?"

"No, I didn't attend the ceremony," Caine interrupted.

"Shame on you," she announced. "You missed your own brother's…"

"Jade, I was too angry," Caine interrupted again. "I didn't want to listen to speeches or accept any medals on Colin's behalf. I let my father have that duty. I wanted…"

"Revenge," Colin interjected. "Just like the time you went after the Bradley brothers."

After making that remark, Colin turned to explain the incident to Nathan. Jade grew impatient again. "I would like to get back to our original topic," she announced. "Have you come up with any solutions yet, Caine?"

He nodded. "I think I have a sound plan to take the jackals off my trail. It's worth a try, anyway, but that's only one threat. We still have to worry about Jade."

"What do you mean?" Colin asked.

"Colin, we're dealing with two separate issues here. I'm one target, yes. We must assume they know I won't give up looking for Pagan, their convenient scapegoat."

"But what does that have to do with Jade?" Colin asked. "They can't possibly know she's Pagan."

Caine let out a sigh before answering. "Let's start at the beginning. It's obvious that the other two members of the Tribunal knew Fox had saved the letters. Since they couldn't locate them, they did the next best thing. They used their man, Willburn, to recruit you, Nathan. What better way to keep an eye on Fox's son."

He didn't wait for Nathan to respond to that statement, but continued on. "I imagine your rooms at Oxford were searched more than once, weren't they?"

Nathan nodded. "They had to be pretty certain you had the letters. For a time, you were the only logical candidate. Your sister was too young, and Harry had already taken her away. Now then," he added with a nod. "No one could believe that Fox would have trusted Harry with the letters. His appearance alone would lead anyone to that decision. They couldn't know Fox had known Harry for some time either."

Jade felt like sighing with relief. Caine was being so logical now. She felt as though he'd just taken the burden away from all of them. From the look on his brother's face, she concluded that Colin was feeling much the same relief.

"And?" Nathan prodded when Caine remained silent.

"They waited," Caine answered. "They knew eventually the letters would surface. And that's exactly

what happened. Harry gave the letters to Jade. She showed them to Nathan and he shared the

information with you, Colin."

"We know all this," Nathan snapped.

"Hush, Nathan," Jade whispered. "Caine's being methodical now. We mustn't interfere with his concentration."

"When Colin told Willburn about the letters, he went to the Tribunal, of course."

"And so we were sanctioned," Colin said. "I trusted the wrong man."

"Yes, you trusted the wrong man."

"They're still after the letters," Nathan said.

Caine's nod was quick. "Exactly."

Colin sat up a little straighten "Now that they think we're dead, Nathan, there can only be one other person who could have the damning evidence."

He turned to look at Jade. "They know you have them."

"They can't be certain," Jade argued. "Or they would have killed me," she added. "That's why they're

still searching, why your lovely house was destroyed, Nathan, the reason your fine carriage was shredded too…"

"Jade, they don't have anywhere else to search. There's only one avenue open to them now," Nathan interjected.

"They'll try to take her," Colin predicted.